[MarkJPK]

I like to transit Neston to Seaforth when I go through Liverpool's Class D although plenty use WHI - LPL - Kirkby too. Neston to Seaforth gives you a good plan B if you are instructed ro remain outside as you can route around the coast below 2000ft instead. Beware the WHI NDB is right on the border between Liverpool's CTR and Manchester's so when you get a transit clearance from Liverpool don't accidentally infringe Manchester by passing down the wrong side of the NDB.

Liverpool are always helpful and accomodating. My friend PlaneOldBen has plenty of videos showing transits through Liverpool enroute to Blackpool with great RT so you'd benefit from watching some of those I'm sure.

[Irv Lee]

@OP
without ever having done a transit of controlled airspace as part of your training. Your instructor(s) should be ashamed of themselves

Perhaps the instructors hadn't done one!

[BirdsEyeView]

...
"G-CD, looking" and "G-CD, visual with traffic"

It is not "looking" or "visual" any longer I don't think. They changed it to the very very silly:

Traffic in sight
Traffic not sighted

A quick search of CAP 413* says you are right. So the correct response to receiving traffic information is "Traffic not sighted", followed by "Traffic in sight". Presumably the first one is optional, you could even say redundant or pointless - if you don't respond you have sighted it that is because you have ... errr... not sighted it.

Morten
*I actually like CAP 413 - for a CAA document it is quite readable!

Or presumably having received for example the message from ATC: "G-XX, traffic at your 10, no altitude information..." it would be quite appropriate to reply: "Roger, G-XX" Meaning I have received your last message in full. Then followed by "Traffic in sight, G-XX."

[Flythrough]

When given a VFR clearance by all means inform the controller of any major deviations from route but remember you are responsible for maintaining VFR so deviate if necessary and a "not above" clearance means just that, descend if required.

[white light]

Thanks to you all for some very good replies, and invaluable advice.

I will bookmark this thread for further use

[egbgnewbie]

@OP

This is not in any way a criticism of you personally*, but if you were trained in the UK, it is unforgivable that you were let loose with a PPL without ever having done a transit of controlled airspace as part of your training. Your instructor(s) should be ashamed of themselves.

IMHO opinion of course.

*full credit to you for asking on here.

I agree! However it's not a large part of the syllabus - and one that without lots of practice is still a bit daunting. In my opinion the RT part of the flying ought to be measured like the number of hours flown is.

[The Kissimmee Bum]

If you are in any way challenged or don’t understand any part of the RT transmission simply hold down the PTT and say “errrrrrrrrrrr sorry laaar say darr again!”

[T67M]

... if you were trained in the UK, it is unforgivable that you were let loose with a PPL without ever having done a transit of controlled airspace as part of your training. Your instructor(s) should be ashamed of themselves.

Isn't a Controlled Airspace crossing a mandatory party of both the initial skills test and the RT Practical ground exam?

[Rob P]

simply hold down the PTT and say “errrrrrrrrrrr sorry laaar say darr again!”

Yer a ded man yous!

Rob P

[FlightDek]

Hey, calm down, calm down alright?

[Pdflyer86]

... if you were trained in the UK, it is unforgivable that you were let loose with a PPL without ever having done a transit of controlled airspace as part of your training. Your instructor(s) should be ashamed of themselves.

Isn't a Controlled Airspace crossing a mandatory party of both the initial skills test and the RT Practical ground exam?

I did my RT course on Sunday and you do need to do a class D zone transit.

You also need to do a MATZ penetration, PAN/Emergency call, 2 position reports and I also had to divert from my landing airfield and ask for QDM.

Need to get all the read backs correct and also show the correct use of roger and Wilco plus, not add extra waffle!

[Korenwolf]

and don't forget to check before landing that you've still got a full set of wheels attached

[The Kissimmee Bum]

simply hold down the PTT and say “errrrrrrrrrrr sorry laaar say darr again!”

Yer a ded man yous!

Rob P

“G-XXXX gorraleggerupajiggerbyascuffer”

[JohnMac]

If I'm approaching Liverpool from the Chester direction, can I expect Hawarden to coordinate a zone transit with Liverpool? Otherwise, with only one comm box, I guess I'd have to call Liverpool and obtain a clearance, then call Hawarden and change back to Liverpool as I leave the RMZ and enter Liverpool airspace?

[Iceman]

Yes, you can expect a coordination between the two, but make your routing clear on first contact as their proximity means that things happen very quickly as you fly through the area, and although your details will have been passed by Hawarden to Liverpool and a Liverpool squawk allocated, you won't actually get a clearance until two-way with Liverpool. This can get quite tight if the Liverpool App frequency is busy (do not enter Liverpool airspace without that clearance).

Iceman